I'm Going to Be On the Radio Tomorrow Morning

shaunpagan

I'm going to be on the radio tomorrow morning in the Madison Wisconsin area. It's WJJO's morning show where they discuss current events and people call in. 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. It's kind of a hard rock station.

WJJO contacted me because I'm making biodiesel at home and running it in my car. They'd like to discuss the process and why I'm doing it. What I'ld like to do while on the radio is drop the bombshell of peak oil on these folks.

So, my question to you is what would YOU say if you were going to be on the radio and your audience is teens to 30-something year old's who may never have heard anything about peak oil. I don't want to sound like a cook, so I rather go light on the doom and gloom stuff. I'd rather people make up their own minds about forecasting our response to peak oil.

Cynus · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 610

Just tell them to Google "Peak Oil"
_________________
One of these now am I too, a fugitive from the gods and a wanderer, at the mercy of raging Strife.
--Empedocles

http://apoxonbothyourhouses.blogspot.com

linlithgowoil

probably best to say stuff like 'we have a real problem meeting demand for oil' and urge people to check out online resources, books etc.

explain that its a matter of being aware of the possible worst case scenarios and at least having some sort of insurance policy in place to deal with it - such as storing food, water, fuel - enough to last a month at least at home.

all that kind of stuff.

of course, you'll still come across as a nut job as the people listening then visit wal mart and gaze upon the cornucopia of items and seemingly un-emptiable shelves that would actually be totally bare after just 3 days of non deliveries. oh well.

grillzilla · Tar Sands Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 78

I would say something like this:

"Any way you look at it, the world of the future contains an America that burns less fossil hydrocarbons. Whatever the reasons, be they Global Warming, Environmental Polution, or PEAK OIL, a lower fossil hydrocarbon diet is in Americas future. I just decided I would rather be part of the Future than the past."

"A growing number of people are aware of this future world, you can find them by googling Peak Oil. See for yourself what they have to say."
_________________
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is that Genius has its limits.

shaunpagan

I like the "I just decided I would rather be part of the Future than the past." part. Good.

How about facts? Demand has been growing at what percentage over the last few years? 3.something? However, supply has been stuck at 84.something? Is that right?

emailking · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 11, 2006 Posts: 753

I agree that you want to be subtle and given enough of the truth that some poeple will take interest and do some research. You also have to be able to smoothly fit this into responses from questions you are posed. If you come off as having an agenda, people may tune you out, or the host may direct things away from what you're trying to say.

Might be good to get someone to help you practice with various scenarios and lines of questioning. I'm not saying they're going to try and confuse you, but they may ask you things you weren't expecting, or in a different manner or order in a way that does throw you off somewhat.

bartholland · Heavy Crude Joined: Nov 12, 2005 Posts: 103

I'd tell them that everybody thinks that high oil prices is just a result speculation from the traders and/or agreements between big oil firms.

Then I would continue saying that main stream media is giving hardly attention to the real facts underlaying the problem that is ahead of us, namely that easy oil has had its biggest production and life will become expensive for everyone.

I would also mention that oil is more than just fuel for your car, lots of peolpe are also unware of that one.

Good luck anyway, will you record it so we can hear it too?

killJOY · Fission Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 2510 Location: ^NNE^

State the facts.

Then say, "if you don't accept peak oil, then don't prepare for it."
_________________
"By the time individuals discover that remaining resources will not be adequate for the next generation, the next generation has already been born. " David Price

shaunpagan

I had planned on asking if I could get a copy as an MP3 so I could post it here and at Biodieselnow.com. I feel bad, I've been lurking on this site for over a year and I haven't posted much.

Aaron

The 3 most important points nobody ever mentions about peak oil:

1) Ken Deffeyes says there is some point before the actual peak date itself, past which we have a diminished ability to affect any meaningful changes to lessen the worst parts of depletion.

Even if the obviously flawed USGS peak oil date is correct, that gives us 24 years to prepare beginning right now...

2) Dr. Smalley from Rice University said that even if the task proves impossible, we have a common moral obligation to try and overcome our energy challenge.

And I think most importantly...

3) Be aware of peak oil... be afraid of how your fellow humans will react to it.
_________________
"When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F Roberts.

Praise HawkMan

arocoun

I think an important #4 for Aaron's list should be that peak oil shouldn't be presented as the new apocolypse (sp?), because people stopped trusting apocolypic doomsayers about 2000 years ago. Rather, present it as something that will change our lives over the next few years and decades. Emphisize that how and when we CHOOSE to change our lives is up to us, and that actions like yours are a step toward independence and sustainability. That will definitely work much better than "We're all going to die. Prepare for the END!!!" Smile

_________________
The Origin of Patriotic Philosophy
--We are Greek.
--The barbarians are not Greek.
--Therefore, we must conquer, exploit, and kill the barbarians.

Aaron

nero

My easy "peak oil facts" that I can keep in my head, in case you want some memorable facts to debate with:

The world currently consumes about a 1000 barrels of oil a second. The US alone consumes a quarter of that.

The world has consumed about a trillion barrels of oil so far.

Light Sweet Crude Oil production is declining in the face of unprecedented demand.

The peak in US oil production occurred around 1970 and nearly everybody was caught off guard.

The peak in North Sea oil production occurred around 2000 and nearly everybody was caught off guard.

Discoveries by volume peaked back in the late 60s. We now consume roughly 2 to 3 times as much oil as we find. The absolute number of discoveries per year peaked in the 80s.

The large majority of the oil consumed to date has been consumed in my life time (I'm 35 years old).

The EIA has estimated that oil consumption wil continue to grow at about 2% a year for another 30 years, at which point they have faith that we will all suddenly find religion and start decreasing our oil consumption by 10% a year. That's the optimistic scenario.
_________________
Biofuels: The "What else we got to burn?" answer to peak oil.

drew

Try to sound calm and rational...

good points from everyone, soooo...

knock em dead..

good luck!

Drew